- Intro:India and Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links steeped in antiquity. India was among the 1st to recognise Maldives after its independence in 1965 and to establish diplomatic relations with the country
- Maldives occupies very special place in the ‘Neighbourhood first’ policy and SAGAR (Security and growth for all in the region)
- Context:
- India’s prompt assistance during 1988 coup attempt lead to development of trust and long-term and friendly bilateral relations with the Maldives. The immediate withdrawal of troops when they were no longer required assuaged fears of any Indian dominance or territorial aspirations
- India was the 1st to assist Maldives during the 2004 tsunami as well as water crisis in Malé in 2014
- Under op NEER, India immediately rushed bottled drinking water to malé using air force and navy. These three incidents in 1988, 2004 and 2014 had established the advantages of India’s proximity and capacity to come to Maldives rescue in distress vis-a-vis any other country and are widely acknowledged by the government and people of Maldives
- Cooperation:
- ‘India first’ Has been a stated policy of the government of Maldives and President Solih ever since he assumed office in 2018.
- Maldives considers India its “closest ally and trusted neighbor.”
- GoI announced Financial assistance of $1.4 billion and additional 1000 scholarships over the next five years
- Launch of rupay cards in Maldives by NPCI.
- India undertaking High Impact Community Development Projects like street lighting,
- India provides training to Maldivian National defence force
- India provided $500M line of credit to Greater Male connectivity project.
- Currency swap agreement to help Maldives overcome future forex challenges
- Maldives received the highest COVID aid in India’s neighbourhood as part of opera Sanieevani
- P2P contact—> 25% of teachers and doctors are Indian nationals
- India is completing a police academy , coastal radar project
- an offer to build new defence ministry is pending
- Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Maldives Institute of technical education have been completed
- Mike Pompeo announcing opening up of US embassy in the region gives an important support to India and Maldives to counter growing Chinese aggression in the Indian ocean region and ensure free and open sea lanes of communication
- Maldives is India’s first maritime neighbour to depute a liaison officer to the IFC-IOR.
- IORA
- SAGAR
- SAARC
- IONS
- issues:
- Bilateral trade $293M —> below potential
- The country is still under Chinese debts ($1.4B as in 2018) taken during the times of Abdullah Yameen
- Chinese tourists max in Maldives
- Maldives has given largest number of ISIS members/population. There have been cases of youths from Kerala using Maldives as a route for getting recruited in the ISIS.
- Conclusion:
The waves that wash the Indian shore are the same waves that reach the shores of Maldivian island chain. These waves are the messengers of peace friendship and trust between the two countries.